Discipline

Information for Licensure by Endorsement for Registered Professional Nurses (RN)

Qualifications
The Board of Nursing may issue a license to practice as a registered professional nurse in Maine if an applicant meets all of the following qualifications:

is a graduate of an educational program of study of not less than 2 years in an approved program in professional nursing and holds a degree, diploma or certificate, and

has been duly licensed by examination, in English, in another state or territory of the United States, such examination is acceptable to the Maine State Board of Nursing, and such license has not been encumbered, and

meets qualifications comparable to those required in Maine at the time of the applicant's graduation.

Application Process

The application:

must be complete

must be notarized

must have a recent passport size (approximately 2 inches by 2 inches) original photograph (not more than 2 years old), signed and dated on the back

must be accompanied by the required fee of $75.00 made payable to Treasurer of State of Maine. The FEE is not refundable.

We now accept Visa/MasterCard!(Please print this page and include it with your application.)

the applicant has completed the certificate portion of a generic to master's in nursing program ( a copy of your certificate is also required).

the applicant has completed a licensed practical nurse to registered professional nurse transition program (both L.P.N. and R.N. transcripts are required).

the applicant's original state of licensure does not provide nursing program information on the verification form.

the applicant's nursing preparation was outside of the United States and its territories.

Examination:

If you are applying for licensure by endorsement and have not taken NCLEX®, you must apply to the testing vendor to register to take the examination. The fee is $200.00. Registering online is the quickest way to register with the testing service. You may contact Vue Pearson, the current test vendor, at 1-866-496-2539, Mon-Fri, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. U.S. central time, or go to www.pearsonvue.com/NCLEX®.

Practice Pending Licensure in Maine

90 day letter
An applicant for licensure by endorsement may practice nursing in Maine for a period not to exceed 90 days from receipt by the Maine State Board of Nursing of the application and fee provided such applicant: a) is currently licensed in another state or territory, b) possesses the official receipt and letter from the Maine State Board of Nursing prior to employment, as stated in the law, and has provided the prospective employer evidence, in the form of such receipt and letter, that a properly completed application has been submitted and that the total endorsement fee has been paid, and c) has provided the employer evidence of current licensure in another state or territory.

Registered professional nurse license will be issued when:

the application has been approved,

verification from the state or territory of original licensure or National Council of State Boards of Nursing has been received,

the endorsement fee has been paid,

transcript(s) from the educational program for nursing (when applicable) have been received,

the NCLEX® examination is completed successfully, and

the applicant has been issued a U.S. Social Security number.

The original license shall be in effect from the date of issue for a period of at least one year.

The license will be mailed to the address listed on the application unless the Board is notified otherwise. Please notify the Board of any address changes.